Our Weekend

There was a survey out this past week in the local newspaper that indicated that Edmontonians aren't as proud of their city as Calgarians are. In fact, many people I know complain about how it "sucks" to live in Edmonton. It's interesting because a lot of Fresnans LOVE their city, and Jason and I don't understand why. We're often wishing we could live elswhere, and we often say that we're "unfortunately stuck in Fresno." As someone who used to live in Edmonton, I wish Edmontonians would see that there really is a whole lot to be proud of here. We always look forward to being here. I guess it really is all about perspective.

Anyway, Saturday was absolutely beautiful outside. We decided to go to Old Strathcona Farmer's Market. It's well-known, yet I had never been there! It's housed in an older warehouse type building, and is open year-round on Saturdays despite the winter season. As we walked through, we were amazed by the variety- bison meat, perogies, Mennonite farmer sausage, organic fruits and vegetables, gluten-free/sugar-free foods, baked treats, etc. We could see why this farmer's market is so popular. We ended up only getting some ice cream because we weren't heading home right away.

Next thing we did was board Edmonton's High Level Streetcar. This was also something I've never experienced. The actual trolley was called, "The Melbourne" because it was previously used in service in Melbourne. It was sent over as a "symbol of friendship" from Melbourne. The trolley took us on a trip over Edmonton's High Level Bridge. Unfortunately, I didn't get any cool pictures of the river valley because I didn't want to get up while the tour guide was talking. He was very informative. I learned things I didn't know before (eg. along the route is a tunnel that goes under one of Edmonton's busy streets). After returning, we took some more time to walk around on Whyte Ave.

A quick shot before the trolley filled up with people

View while heading northbound (North Saskatchewan River)
View heading southbound (LRT tracks runs alongside the High Level Bridge)

Leaving the trolley

Friday and Saturday nights were spent teaching our friends how to play one of our favorite games, "Perpetual Commotion." We had a blast! Jason won on Friday night, and I won on Saturday night. We joked that there must've been a conspiracy to let us win, since everyone knows how competitive the two of us can get!

On Sunday, we went to the Edmonton Vietnamese Alliance Church, the church I grew up in. It has changed a lot over the years. There used to only be a Vietnamese service, but about 9 years ago (right before I moved to Fresno), an English ministry was started to minister to the youth. It has grown tremendously! Now, both services take place at the same time, with the Vietnamese ministry in the main sanctuary, and the English ministry in the basement. One of the things I enjoy about visiting every year is seeing how God is at work here. I especially love the worship- I just sense a real vulnerability and authenticity from the worship team that isn't always the case in many church communities. The songs are current and contemporary, but it's not about "show." What a blessing they've been!